The criteria set by NASA in previous years still resonate today, especially as the United States prepares for its moon landing mission in 2024.
NASA has recently announced that they are looking to increase their current astronaut corps, which consists of only 48 members. This effort is part of their plan to expand space missions in the coming years. Do you feel confident that you meet the application requirements?
Salary up to $98,317/year (approximately 2.3 billion VND), would you like to participate?
The Administrator of NASA, Jim Bridenstine, stated: “We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of our presence on the International Space Station (ISS) in low Earth orbit, and this year we will send the first woman and the next man to the Moon in 2024“.
Jim Bridenstine.
Intense Competition
First and foremost, candidates must have a master’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) or have pursued a STEM degree for at least two years; if you are a test pilot, the path to becoming an astronaut is also wide open. Additionally, holding a medical degree or a certification in osteopathic medicine is an advantage. Candidates will need at least two years of professional experience; if you are a pilot, you must have at least 1,000 hours of flight experience as a captain.
This time, for the first time, candidates will be required to complete a two-hour online test. The tests are extremely difficult and highly competitive: in January, NASA saw a record number of applicants at 18,000, but only 11 were selected.
The extremely low acceptance rate at NASA stems from various reasons, and the agency has the right to choose the outstanding candidates from among the best: technical expertise like pilots, courage like special forces, patience like teachers, and endurance like mountain climbers.
Through the selection process, candidates will undergo rigorous training to familiarize themselves with emergency scenarios in real and simulated conditions. They will also be physically evaluated through flights and spend hours working underwater in an astronaut suit to achieve immediate response without thinking.
“Making mistakes in a simulator is one thing. Messing up on a flight at 800 km/h is another. Your chances of survival will drop significantly,” said former astronaut Terry Virts.
Members of NASA’s 2017 Astronaut Class. (NASA / Bill Stafford).
The resumes of these astronauts are impressive: One of them, Jonny Kim, is an emergency physician and a veteran who participated in 100 Navy SEAL operations. He also holds a mathematics degree and a medical doctorate from Harvard.
Jonny Kim – the legendary “model student.”
The training will include classes on how to maneuver in space at NASA’s underwater laboratory, robot control classes, and systems for the International Space Station. Additionally, candidates will learn to operate T-38 training aircraft, study Russian, and familiarize themselves with the fundamentals that make up the Artemis program – which aims to send astronauts back to the Moon in 2024.
A select few will have the privilege of joining the approximately 500 astronauts who have traveled to space; this is the first step in the ongoing process of sending astronauts to the ISS on rockets manufactured in the U.S., then returning to the Moon and advancing to Mars in the 2030s.
According to the regulations of 2018, new astronauts will receive a GS-12 level salary, which is approximately $63,600/year (around 1.5 billion VND). After a few years of experience, they can rise to GS-13 level 3 with a salary of $98,317/year (approximately 2.3 billion VND), according to BI.
